BAREILLY, June 30: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said she feels that using the word ‘pashu’ for animals was “inappropriate” and referred to them as ‘jeevan dhan’ or wealth of life.
Speaking at the 11th convocation ceremony of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Murmu said life without animals cannot be imagined.
ICAR-IVRI in Izatnagar is dedicated to research and development in the field of veterinary and animal sciences.
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“When you work as a (veterinary) doctor, you should always have the welfare of animals in mind. The environment that I come from is close to nature. Humans have a relationship with forests and wild animals,” Murmu said.
“Today, we have technology, but in the past, they (animals) were our ‘saadhan’ (for transportation) and ‘bal’ (strength) for the farmers. Hence, I do not find the word ‘pashu’ appropriate for animals as they are ‘jeevan dhan’. We cannot think of life without them,” she added.
She said in the Indian culture, the presence of God is seen in all creatures. “The belief that our Gods and sages communicated with animals is also based on the same philosophy,” she said.
Murmu noted that several species of animals have either become extinct or are on the verge of extinction and emphasised that their conservation is crucial for biodiversity and the health of the Earth. She said the power of thinking and understanding that God has given to humans should be used for the welfare of all living beings.
Citing an example, Murmu said during her childhood days, vultures were a common sight, but that is not the case today.
The chemical drugs used in veterinary medicines could be behind the dwindling numbers of some species of the bird. Banning such drugs is a commendable step towards the conservation of vultures, she said.
“The Covid pandemic warned us that a culture based on consumption can cause unimaginable damage not only to mankind but also to other living beings and the environment,” she asserted.
She also appealed to the IVRI and other institutes to play a leading role in increasing biodiversity, prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, and finding indigenous and low-cost treatments and nutrition for animals.
The President lauded the students of the IVRI for choosing a career that involves treating animals and urged them to establish start-ups in various fields of animal science so that they can generate employment and contribute to the country’s economy.
Murmu pointed out that the concept of ‘one health’ — that humans, domestic and wild animals, flora and the wider environment are all interdependent — is gaining importance across the world.
The President said technology, like other fields, has the potential to bring revolutionary changes in veterinary medicine and care. The use of technologies like genome editing, embryo transfer technologies, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics can bring revolutionary changes in this field, she said.
Murmu arrived in Bareilly earlier in the day and was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel.
In a post in Hindi on X, Adityanath said, “Hearty welcome and felicitation to Hon’ble President Draupadi Murmu ji in ‘Nath Nagri’ Bareilly.”
The President’s Secretariat said on X, “Governor of Uttar Pradesh Smt Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, received President Droupadi Murmu on her arrival at Bareilly.” (PTI)
